All-Star weekend in Toronto was mostly a farewell party for Kobe Bryant. There were hugs, fans at Air Canada Centre chanting his name and when no one was looking, an exclusive party thrown by Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.
The trio rented out a restaurant, showered Bryant with gifts and told him what he meant to their careers. According to The Associated Press, this invitation to the Gentleman’s Supper Club that started last year meant more to Bryant than anything during the weekend.
“It was really special. Those are the things you don’t get a chance to hear when you’re competing against each other. To hear those stories now, you have such a deep sense of appreciation and such a brotherhood from all the years of competing against each other. It just felt good.”
Some of the gifts Bryant received during a celebration that lasted until sunrise included a one-year subscription to Netflix, because he’s about to have plenty of time to chill, along with dental adhesive, reading glasses, compression socks and a cane, because he’s so old. There’s nothing funnier than buying gifts for someone who is retiring.
Lost in all this is Anthony, Paul and Wade starting a thing called the Gentleman’s Supper Club. Think of a more pretentious, boring name for a club. You can’t. Maybe if they worked “Book” into the title. What happened to the day of professional athletes partying hard? Now they have fish dinners and buy each other robes. The future is here and it’s not great.
